Here’s How Volunteering Benefit Your Health & Well-Being

Amy Taylor November 09, 2015

Whether you are looking for an activity that can de-stress you, is meaningful and really uplifting, or worth spending your time for, volunteering is a great idea. Not only does it benefit other people, it also benefits you, particularly your health and well-being.

Below are five amazing benefits of volunteering. You will be surprised of how a simple act of kindness can positively impact your life.

Volunteering makes you happy.

What’s so good about volunteering? It makes you happy, period. Sharing your time and resources to those in need really feels rewarding. And science can back this up. The study, published in the journal BMC Public Health, links volunteering with improvements in mental health.

It brings you closer to other people.

Volunteering allows you to meet people, make new friends, learn from others, and establish connections. As humans, we are social beings. We find happiness by interacting with others. People who have positive social relationships are happier and healthier than their lonely counterparts. And what could be a better way of meeting people than helping solve a problem in the community? According to a study by the University of Minnesota, volunteering also creates social capital which leads to more interaction, engagement, and trust with the people that you volunteer with.

Volunteering helps you discover yourself more.

Volunteering is a great opportunity to know more about yourself, discover what you are truly passionate about, and most of all - grow. Volunteering stimulates positive emotions and enhances your confidence. And when you are feeling better, the more you feel excited to find out more about yourself and explore endless opportunities waiting for you. The report, which analysed 40 studies from the past 20 years, found that volunteerism is associated with lower depression, increased well-being, and a 22 percent reduction in the risk of dying.

It gives you a sense of fulfilment.

While spending money on yourself gives you pleasure, spending it on others give you a sense of fulfilment. Volunteering lets you harness empathy, which in turn leads to a greater sense of fulfilment.

It makes your life longer.

Yes, you read it right. Several studies have shown that people who volunteer are healthier and have lower rates of mortality than those who don’t. One study, published in 2013 in the BMC Public Health journal, suggests that volunteering may benefit mental health and survivals, although the causal mechanisms remain unclear. Another research, carried out by the University of Michigan in 2011, showed that those who volunteered for more altruistic reasons had lower mortality rates as of 2008 than people who did not volunteer.

Thinking of something great and meaningful to do this weekend? Volunteering is a must-try. Hope these amazing benefits can encourage you more.